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Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

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Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#21
post #5

This definitely seems like a case where continuing to increase the price makes more sense than shrinking the box. Maybe we’ll see a reversal if sales actually go down?

[flagged]

Sales of betty crocker mix can go down.

Grandma will now search for a cookie recipe without the shrunken mix and go buy flour and eggs and vanilla sugar.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#23
post #13
post #4

> “It’s just so upsetting,” says Judith, whose cookie recipe was passed down by her mother. These “perfect little cookies” once made the rounds at bake sales, Christmas cookie exchanges, and birthdays. > a box of Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, two eggs, and 1/3 cup neutral oil I realize it's not the point of the story, but this is like that Friends episode[0] where Phoebe finds out her grandmother's secret cookie…

I've had the tiniest nagging confusion about that... From what I recall, it seemed pretty common to use the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips, yet somehow each family's cookies came out different. My mom's instantiation of the bag recipe, for example, were pretty consistent across runs, yet not quite like anyone else's (that you're exposed to at friends' houses, school birthdays, bake sales, church potlucks, famil…

Two main mistakes that people make: 1. "scoop and dump" approach to flour. Flour should be spooned into the measuring cup so its not packed in. 2. over-baking cookies due to cooking too long or oven that is too hot or not hot enough.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#24
post #11

Why would you buy overpriced cake mix in the first place? Buy flour, sugar, cocoa and sodium bicarbonate and... that's it? Oh wait you probably have all of them already.

Because you live in a small apartment and don't have storage space for a thing of flour, a thing of sugar, cocoa you might use twice a year?

Because you have little kids and you want to give them a single easy-to-follow box with instructions on it?

Because you value convenience?

Honestly, what a silly take. The world thrives on convenience products.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#25
post #13
post #4

> “It’s just so upsetting,” says Judith, whose cookie recipe was passed down by her mother. These “perfect little cookies” once made the rounds at bake sales, Christmas cookie exchanges, and birthdays. > a box of Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, two eggs, and 1/3 cup neutral oil I realize it's not the point of the story, but this is like that Friends episode[0] where Phoebe finds out her grandmother's secret cookie…

I've had the tiniest nagging confusion about that... From what I recall, it seemed pretty common to use the recipe on the bag of chocolate chips, yet somehow each family's cookies came out different. My mom's instantiation of the bag recipe, for example, were pretty consistent across runs, yet not quite like anyone else's (that you're exposed to at friends' houses, school birthdays, bake sales, church potlucks, famil…

I can speak to this - the main variations are in the kind of butter you use. Using salted, unsalted, or margarine result in similar yet different cookies. I personally use unsalted and feel like it creates the most “cookie” like experience. Flour brand and texture also makes a difference. You will get a very different result based on using the store brand vs (for example) King Arthur flour.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#26

I feel like a giant buying groceries anymore. Oh great 10 ounce box of cereal; that will be 2 bowls if I am lucky. So dumb, just show the real price and keep the portion the same.

The thing is that there is a greater incentive to shrink than to inflate prices. Or at least, to do a combination of the two. Price-conscious consumers will probably choose the shrunk item over another brand that increased their price, even though the price per unit might be the same.

Do you have price per unit on the price tags in your grocery stores? They have to show that by law in my country, not sure if it makes a huge difference because not everyone knows to compare though.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#27

Speaking of cookie recipes, have you tried the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe? Bejabbers it's fine. Pecan flour. Walnuts. 2 kinds of chocolate... Costs $50 to do a batch tho.

Is every batch $50, or is some of the cost from stocking up on some uncommon ingredients?

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#29
post #5

This definitely seems like a case where continuing to increase the price makes more sense than shrinking the box. Maybe we’ll see a reversal if sales actually go down?

[flagged]

This is an article about cake and cookie mixes. Nobody has to buy cake and cookie mixes; the article actually covers a woman who has stopped. And even for other kinds of packaged food, if people can't count on the brand names they're used to, they're more likely to explore other brands or generics, so the sales of one particular brand could very easily go down.

Re: Betty Crocker broke recipes by shrinking boxes

#30

Speaking of cookie recipes, have you tried the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe? Bejabbers it's fine. Pecan flour. Walnuts. 2 kinds of chocolate... Costs $50 to do a batch tho.

Which recipe are you following? I found a few, including one on the Neiman Marcus website, but none had pecan flour and only one had walnuts.
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